


Home to Adventure

by Corona



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Adventure, Fluff, Homecoming, M/M, Returning Home
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-09-07 16:59:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16857826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corona/pseuds/Corona
Summary: They've arrived in Ferelden, which may as well be a brave new world as far as Fenris is concerned. As for Hawke, Fenris doesn't think he's ever seen his lover this happy before.





	Home to Adventure

**Author's Note:**

> Part of the Fenris Appreciation Month 2k18 series! Other contributions shall be coming along in time, I hope. Enjoy!

A bump jolts him from his semi-doze. Fenris shakes his head, blinks to clear the crud out of his eyes, and looks up. He can see passengers closer to the entrance beginning to rise unsteadily to their feet. The ship must have docked.

It feels like a small eternity has passed before Fenris has the room to rise and stumble towards the entrance himself, his bag slung over one shoulder. His legs are numb, and he is unsteady on them, but he's in such desperate need of fresh air that he doesn't stop until he's climbed the stairs to the upper level of the ship.

He takes a moment to rest then begins to scan the crowd for Hawke, who is regrettably only of average height for a human and very slimly built to boot and thus blends in all too easily. Thankfully, after a few moments, he hears his name, and he turns to see Hawke gently pushing his way through the mass of departing passengers. Even from this distance, Fenris can see a manic gleam in his eyes, and he knows that he must be grinning from ear to ear beneath his mask.

Fenris gives him an answering smile as he goes to join him. Up close, he sees that despite the long journey, which was several days in length instead of just one due to inclement weather, his lover shows no sign of tiredness. If anything, he appears to be reinvigorated, thanks to the excitement in his eyes, the crinkles around them from his smile, and the way he very uncharacteristically offers his hand for Fenris to take.

Fenris does so, and Hawke grasps his hand firmly, with confidence—which is, again, uncharacteristic of him. They join the queue of passengers leaving the ship, and while Fenris keeps his eyes mostly on Hawke, Hawke only has eyes for what lies ahead. The closer they get to reaching it, the more gleeful and excited he becomes, and Fenris wonders if he's ever seen him so _happy_ like this before. Even when they restarted their relationship, his joy was not so unbridled as it is now.

They reach the gangway and begin to disembark, Fenris turning his gaze downward to watch his and Hawke's footing; in all his excitement, it seems that Hawke can't be bothered to do the same. (Which, really, Fenris would _prefer_ he did. Having Hawke fall from the gangway would be a very poor start to this… adventure? Homecoming? It's one for him, the latter for Hawke.) But the disembarking proceeds without incident, and as soon as they have touched solid ground and got out of the way for the other passengers to get by, the usually reserved-in-public Hawke pumps his fist and _cheers_.

"This is not very like you," Fenris mutters with a raised eyebrow, but Hawke either doesn't hear him or doesn't care to respond. He looks up, gazing at the scene before him with eyes that positively shine with joy and relief and excitement, and for lack of a response, Fenris is forced to look as well.

Hawke has never been to Highever before, and so he has told Fenris little about it beyond what every Fereldan knows. But it's an impressive place, Fenris will concede that. Not Minrathous, but much cleaner and more ordered than Kirkwall; the streets are bustling, and the stone walls rise high without giving the impression of ominousness or causing gooseflesh to break out on his skin. Off in the distance, Fenris can see what he believes is Castle Cousland, and while it's not so interesting as the Viscount's Keep in Kirkwall was—all grey stone, few decorations or adornments—it somehow manages to be both imposing and welcoming at the same time. All told, just a brief look has given Fenris a favourable first impression. They're off to a good start.

"Do you like it?" Hawke asks, and the glee is in his voice as much as it is in his eyes.

"Yes," he says, then looks at Hawke askance. "Do _you_? You've never been here."

"How can I _not_?" Hawke says. He still stares out, drinking in the sight of Highever. "Honestly, if you gave me any city or town in Ferelden right now, I'd _love_ it. It's home! _I'm home!_ And you're home with me!" At that point, he breaks into laughter and doubles up with it.

Fenris shakes his head and moves closer to him to whisper, "People are staring. Stop making a scene." He'd never thought that he'd have to say this to _Hawke_ of all people, given the man's avowed hatred of exhibitionism and generally insular nature, but here they are.

"Let them stare," Hawke says carelessly. "I've come _home_. Just for once, for _right now_ , everything's right in the world. I've waited _nine years_ for this and now—Maker's breath, I have _so much_ I need to show you!"

Admittedly, it is rather hard not to get swept up in the man's enthusiasm. Hawke has spoken so often of his homeland, always with great love and every indication that he missed it deeply, and Fenris would be lying if he said that he wasn't curious. Now, he has the chance to satisfy his curiosity, and if it makes his lover happy, then so much the better. Still, first things first. "One thing at a time," he says amusedly. "We need to speak to the guards, then go find ourselves a tavern and clean up."

Hawke shakes his head and seems to come back to himself a little. "Right, yes, of course," he says, righting his posture. He offers his hand again, and Fenris takes it and allows Hawke to guide him through the docks to where they'll meet with the guards.

After being cleared to enter the city, they leave the docks and hit the streets of Highever, and as they go in search of a tavern, Hawke points out everything in sight that he feels would be even remotely interesting to Fenris and talks about it at length. He acts like a native of the city, which Fenris wryly remarks upon.

"Oh, just you wait," Hawke says cheerfully. "You haven't been to Denerim or Amaranthine yet. I _know_ those places. You'll probably be wanting me to shut up after we spend half a day there."

Fenris chuckles and briefly leans into Hawke's side affectionately; again, it says something about how excited Hawke is that he allows the touch instead of jerking away. "Perhaps," he says. "I look forward to travelling this land with you, regardless. It should be quite the adventure."

"An adventure for you, a homecoming for me," Hawke says. "All right, maybe a bit of an adventure for me, too," he adds after a moment. "But one I'll actually _like_ for a change. Maker, I can't wait to get started—"

"We can get started after we've had some _rest_ ," Fenris tells him in a firm voice. "We have all the time in the world now, remember."

Hawke looks at him, and Fenris abruptly wishes that he didn't insist on wearing that damnable mask in public because he wants to _see_ the grin that he knows must be lighting up his face as the sun does the sky. Such true smiles are very rare from him. "That we do," Hawke says, and for once in all the time that Fenris has known him, he sounds perfectly content. "That we do."


End file.
